Summer holidays abroad?

[TheRedBalloon]

I've just been reading that various Sage members have said international travel is unlikely this Summer.
We booked our holiday for the end of July to the Canaries (booked it last Summer.) Just wondering has anyone else booked for abroad and still expects to go, or is it more likely to be cancelled? DH and I have both had our first jabs and will have had both in May/June. We booked through TUI so I know we'll get a refund but the thought of going away has kept me going through lockdown!

(I know this is trivial compared with the illnesses / deaths due to the pandemic)

@EasterIssland

Thanks *@QuentinInQuarantino* I’d be flying to Bilbao as that’s the closest to gasteiz but there are no flights to July. I’m happy to wait til July anyway. And yes it’s an offence to fly at the moment but there are exceptions and I’m pretty sure I could find of them to be able to travel home if I really needed to. But as said I’ll wait til July

I'll be waiting until July too (work reasons) - we could cross over at the airport if I weren't such a wuss!

But sure @cantkeepawayforever as soon as it’s allowed and you can you might try and visit them ?

I managed to see the ones in Wales (elderly) last summer by isolating for 10 days after the end of the summer term (I was teaching full time in school from 1st June), and by declaring myself as part of their 'support bubble' so I could go inside their house.

The opening of the border to Scotland didn't coincide with it being safe for me to travel to visit the (highly vulnerable) family there.

Unless you have a second home, or a wedding, or are volunteering, or working, or a long list of other exemptions....

We know, but the misery merchants don't like that . They want everyone effectively imprisoned here and/or severely punished if they don't behave exactly how the most miserable among us want, because.

And since their guilt trips don't work, they don't like it that the government allows these exemptions so try to scaremonger.

@cantkeepawayforever

"I thought it was still illegal to leave the house unless for specified reasons- eg work/exercise, so how can you justify travelling the length of the country to see any stay with someone, or to travel into a different uk country with different rules?

Surely if you caught you risk a fine?

That is why people with family living in another part of the uk are in exactly the same position as those who are living abroad, albeit with plans in place to relax this from mid May if numbers allow....."

Exactly. Family are in Wales - just moved from a stay at home to stay local order - and Scotland. Neither country has moved to allow unrestricted travel within them, let alone across the borders, and both are multiple hours of travel away from me so garden visits aren't feasible. The dates for cross border travel haven't been released.

It's really not sensible for me - teacher, 6 hours face to face unmasked contact with 30+ people all with families who have followed the rules to a greater or lesser extent - to go travelling hundreds and hundreds of miles to see family, all either elderly or medically vulnerable.

Same here, I am nhs so need to book holiday 6-8 weeks in advance and also can’t quarantine for 10 days before visiting. I could book a week off to visit and then find that the opening up gets delayed.

Thank goodness for the vaccine which offers a glimmer of hope!

In case anyone wants to sign a petition to allow those with family abroad visiting them
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/565102

[quote Whenspringcomes]@QuentinInQuarantino I feel similar, live abroad with no family and parents have booked to come in July & August, they’ve had the first vaccination and will be fully vaccinated before then. I don’t have a business so can’t think of a way to get them over if they don’t allow it. They’re desperate fo see their granddaughter, it’s making me think if this continues to have to move back to the U.K.[/quote]
@Whenspringcomes

We are considering buying a property in Spain and the agents that we are registered with have sent emails to say that if we would like a letter to prove we are travelling for the purposes of looking at property, that is an acceptable reason to travel.

Would that work for your parents?

@CheltenhamLady It definitely could...what would that mean? That they could definitely visit and would have to only quarantine at home? They would be fully vaccinated, would they still need tests?

@CheltenhamLadyDo you have to pay to register with them? Not sure how it works 🤷🏻‍♀️My parents have actually always been interested in looking at property anyway

[quote Helookslikeamuppet]@CheltenhamLadyDo you have to pay to register with them? Not sure how it works 🤷🏻‍♀️My parents have actually always been interested in looking at property anyway[/quote]
No, we just used the Place in the Sun website and registered with their approved agents. It is worth a try!

I would approach a local agent where you live and ask them to help your parents view suitable properties. I wouldn't mention your ulterior motive!!

@CheltenhamLady

I would approach a local agent where you live and ask them to help your parents view suitable properties. I wouldn't mention your ulterior motive!!

This is my plan If the ban continues ahead

@EasterIssland @CheltenhamLady I’m thinking of doing similar for my parents, but do you think everyone will do it and they’ll cotton on to it?

Im not travelling to my parents til July which at that point I hope things have relaxed a bit. But if not ... I’ll find one of the many loopholes to go and see them. No way I’ll be 2 years without seeing them whilst I see people in this country finding loopholes every day (there is today a thread about how stupid those that continue following the rules like me are ... because everyone is not following them anymore ).

I totally agree @EasterIssland god knows how long this situation will go on, missing out in vital time with my parents as is my Dd

Happy news for those of us who want to travel abroad, via the guardian

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told ITV’s This Morning that “the door is not shut” on foreign holidays this summer. He told the programme:

We may get to a position where if you’ve had your jab, then other countries will say ‘you’ve got to have the jab to come in’. And so we’ll make sure everybody can do that.

Asked if there may be foreign holidays this summer, he said:

There may well be, I wouldn’t rule that out. The door is not shut, it’s just too early to say, but what we can say with confidence is that the unlocking home is on track.

He confirmed that his own summer holiday would be in Cornwall this year. And he revealed that he would be visiting his constituency, West Suffolk, at the weekend for the first time since November. He said:

We’re saying that you should minimise travel but if you want to travel to see friends and family then that is absolutely fine.

For instance, I haven’t been home to Suffolk since November. I’m planning to go this weekend, but only go for the day because there’s no overnight stays, but I’m going to go for the day on Easter Sunday. I’m going to see friends in Suffolk outdoors, and then come back again.

There’s been a major outbreak of realism in Westminster , let’s hope it becomes endemic 🙂 I hope you get home this year Easter I really do

Fingers crossed for Greece!

@newstart1234

There’s been a major outbreak of realism in Westminster , let’s hope it becomes endemic 🙂 I hope you get home this year Easter I really do

Thanks. If not I’ll go home to buy a house. Better start saving for it!

I've booked 2. Ibiza Town in August and Florida in November. Both were meant to be last year, but had to change because of covid. Booked York and Cornwall as back up (all free cancellations) but they were more expensive than abroad.